Death of 1-year-old left near space heater called homicide; Young Detroit couple charged

Sandford McQueen, 22 and Karen Geletzke, 23, are charged with second-degree murder, involuntary murder and second-degree child abuse in the death of a 1-year-old child in Detroit on Jan. 23, 2014.(Detroit Police Department)

DETROIT, MI -- The Wayne County Medical Examiner's office has called the Thursday death of a 1-year-old boy a homicide and two people who were caring for the toddler have been charged.

Police around 1 p.m. Thursday were called to a home on Keating Street near 7 Mile Road, where the child was found unresponsive with burn marks, officials said.

The toddler was later pronounced at a local hospital, according to police.

Detroit police spokesman Sgt. Michael Woody said earlier this week the child's mother had left her son in the care of a relative and a companion, who were both arrested.

After the medical examiner found that the death was caused by the burns and declared it a homicide, Sandford McQueen, 22 and Karen Geletzke, 23, were charged with second-degree murder, involuntary murder and second-degree child abuse.

Police in a Sunday statement said the child "was alleged to have been placed in a stroller and covered with a blanket near a space heater."

McQueen and Geletzke were arraigned Sunday and held without bond. They're due back in court Feb. 16 at 1:30 p.m.